Vosloorus – In a harrowing incident that has further heightened concerns about scholar transport safety in Gauteng, a vehicle carrying two school pupils burst into flames in Vosloorus on Thursday morning. This latest event comes just days after a horrific crash in the Vaal region, where 14 pupils tragically lost their lives, casting a long shadow over the safety of children travelling to and from school.
The City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) confirmed that firefighters were dispatched to a "well alight vehicle fire" at approximately 6 am in Vosloorus Extension 7, on Inyetsane Street.
DEMS spokesperson William Ntladi provided details of the incident, stating that upon arrival, the fire crews found the taxi already fully engulfed in flames. "On arrival, the vehicle was already engulfed in flames, and fortunately, both children and the driver managed to get out of the vehicle with no injuries," Ntladi said.
The two pupils, aged 10 and six, who are from the same family, were en route to school when the fire erupted. According to Ntladi, preliminary investigations suggest that the blaze originated from a mechanical or electrical fault within the engine compartment. "It is alleged that the fire started due to a mechanical or electrical fault in the engine compartment," he explained.
While the three occupants of the vehicle – the two children and their driver – managed to escape without any physical injuries, the incident has undoubtedly left them deeply traumatised. In the immediate aftermath, firefighters provided on-site counselling to the shaken children and their driver. Their parents were also promptly notified and summoned to the scene.
"The two terrified children and their driver were given counselling on scene by firefighters, and their parents were also called immediately to the incident scene," Ntladi added, highlighting the swift response and support provided by the emergency services.
This incident has occurred in the wake of a devastating scholar transport crash near Vanderbijlpark earlier this week. In that tragedy, a minibus taxi transporting learners collided head-on with a truck, resulting in the deaths of 14 pupils. The driver of the taxi has since been arrested and is facing a string of charges, including culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving.
The close proximity of these two events has amplified anxieties surrounding the safety of scholar transport in the region. Questions are being raised about the roadworthiness of vehicles used to transport children, the qualifications and competence of drivers, and the overall regulatory oversight of the scholar transport industry.
While the pupils and driver in the Vosloorus incident were fortunate to escape unharmed, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers faced by children who rely on scholar transport. It is expected that this event will add further impetus to calls for a thorough review and strengthening of safety measures within the scholar transport sector, to prevent future tragedies and ensure the well-being of all pupils travelling to and from school.
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